"It was really bad." Reese Witherspoon posed for a glossy magazine and spoke candidly about postpartum depression and menopause.

Reese Witherspoon, 49, is the cover star of the new issue of Harper's Bazaar UK. The actress starred in a photo shoot by Alexi Lubomirski and wore designs by McQueen, Ermanno Scervino, Stella McCartney, Celine, and Nina Ricci.

She also gave the publication an interview and spoke candidly about her personal life: for example, about how she experienced postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter, Ava. The actress was 23 years old at the time. “It was really bad. For the first six months, I was both happy and depressed. I just cried all the time, I couldn’t sleep at night, I was exhausted. It was a hormonal drop that I didn’t expect, and it happened right after giving birth and again six months later when I stopped breastfeeding,” Reese shared.

She said she couldn't tell anyone about her experiences because everyone would pressure her with their opinions: "It's hard being a new mother when everyone is trying to tell you what to do, how to react, how to give birth, how to breastfeed. It's a never-ending stream." Witherspoon noted that she at least had the connections and resources to seek out a mental health professional, while many people don't have that opportunity and are forced to suffer alone, hiding their condition.

Reese also spoke about how menopause affected her. The actress admitted that with its onset, she began experiencing memory lapses and a clouding of her judgment. “We all go through this and need to be patient with each other. I’m so grateful to the women who normalize this, like Gwyneth Paltrow and Naomi Watts. Their experiences have been incredibly helpful,” the actress said.

As a reminder, Reese Witherspoon has a 26-year-old daughter, Ava, and a 21-year-old son, Deacon, from her ex-husband, Ryan Phillippe, as well as a 12-year-old son, Tennessee, from her second ex-husband, Jim Toth.

Photo: Harper's Bazaar